Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has announced two longer cruises for 2012.  Balmoral has an epic voyage around South America, departing January 5, 2012 for 89 nights, while Black Watch undertakes a 106-night World Cruise departing from Southampton on January 11, 2012.

Balmoral’s cruise, also from Southampton, travels via the Canary Islands and Caribbean and takes in some of North America, visiting Key West, New Orleans and Galveston (for Houston) as well as Cozumel in Mexico and transits the Panama Canal before travelling around the continent of South America. The cruise can also be booked in four shorter sectors: Southampton to Montego Bay, Jamaica; Montego Bay to Valparaiso, Chile; Valparaiso to Rio (Brazil); and Rio to Southampton. Prices for the full cruise start from $13,198 per person.

For those seeking the ultimate in cruising, a world cruise is hard to beat. This Black Watch cruise travels in an easterly direction, visiting Egypt and the Suez Canal, India, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Borneo, Australia – including the Great Barrier Reef – the South Pacific including Vanuatu, Fiji, Bora Bora and Tahiti, South America and the Caribbean.  Prices for this all-encompassing cruise start from $15,673 per person. Prices are based on two people sharing an inside cabin and include all meals and entertainment on board and port taxes.

The world cruise can also be booked in four shorter sectors: Southampton to Singapore; Singapore to Sydney; Sydney to Callao (Peru); and Callao to Southampton.

Lol Nichols, general sales manager for Fred. Olsen, said: “Given the length of these cruises and their very spectacular nature, the majority of customers will be booking early and there is great scope for agents to earn substantial commissions from booking these high value cruises.”

2012 Grand Voyages go on sale May 18, 2010 for Oceans Members, Fred’s loyalty program members, while general sales start May 19, 2010.